"I’m a believer in faith, freedom, safety, and common sense, and if you vote for me, these are four of the principles that will guide my service to you in the Statehouse."

Telegraph note: Ahead of the November 8 General Election, Tama-Grundy Publishing sent out questionnaires to all of the declared candidates in the contested races in Tama County. We will print responses for the next three weeks in alphabetical order beginning with the Iowa House of Representatives; District 1 Supervisor and County Treasurer will print next week, followed by Iowa Senate.

Candidate Spotlight: State Representative District 76

Includes Traer, Dysart, and Buckingham areas.

DEREK WULF

Age: 40

Residence: Hudson

Family: I am married to my wife of 15 years, Dresden, who is an Animal Science instructor at Hawkeye Community College. We have two beautiful, intelligent, and talented daughters, Aubrey, who is 11, and Claire, who is 7.

Education: I am a graduate of Hudson High School, then attended Iowa State University where I received a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science.

Profession: Farmer/Rancher

1. Why are you the best candidate for this office – what differentiates you from your opponent?

There are two main things that I would say differentiate me from my opponent in this election: experience and philosophies. The experience I’ve gained from being a lifelong family farmer can’t be learned anywhere else, and I think that will serve our district well in Des Moines. I know the value of hard work, early mornings, late nights, and that there are times when you just have to push through challenges. Many of the good folks here in our district can relate to this experience.

And when it comes to our philosophical difference, I think my vision is more aligned with that of the folks here in HD76. We believe in keeping more of our hard-earned dollars as opposed to sending it to the government. We believe in parents being in the driver’s seat of our kids’ education. We believe in backing police and emergency responders. And ultimately, we believe in the value of freedom and individual agency. These don’t seem to be the values of the opposing party currently.

2. What kind of legislator do you envision yourself to be? Are there any particular issues you would like to see addressed by the Iowa Legislature?

If my district elects me to represent them in Des Moines, my first priority will be to make sure they’re informed. I think it’s easy in our busy lives to miss what’s happening in the Statehouse. Last year, the legislature passed the biggest income tax cut in Iowa history which included eliminating taxes on retirement income, yet I didn’t hear too much about it up here. If elected, I’ll make sure my constituents are getting weekly updates on what we’re up to so that they can weigh in on any policies with me before they’re debated on the floor of the House.

When it comes to issues I’m hearing about, it’s mainly around the impact of the economic disaster that the federal government is leading us into. I plan to prioritize any efforts that can bring some economic relief to my constituents. That could take the shape of lower taxes, cutting red tape to get people into jobs faster, or helping educate and train the next generation to be ready to fill the jobs that will await them.

3. What sources do you consult when hoping to learn more about a particular issue?

One of the things I’ve learned the last few years is that there may be very different interpretations of data and history pending on who you ask. I think the best way to try to cut to the heart of an issue is to get a broad array of perspectives and use common sense to try to reach sound conclusions. That can include resources such as publications and articles as well as business or nonprofit experts. I have also made it well known in my campaign that not only do I support our local papers, but I think they are critical to the survival of our rural communities, so as always, I will be keeping a close eye on what is happening in all parts of HD76 via those critical news sources. I also believe that one of the best places to learn about an issue is in discussing issues with voters, as they can certainly help you gain perspective on different issues impacting their lives.

4. Where do you stand on funding for public schools, particularly rural public schools like those in Tama County – is it adequate or otherwise? Further, what is your position on the Student First Scholarship Program (private school voucher bill) backed by Gov. Kim Reynolds?

As a product of a smaller-sized school (Hudson) where my kids now attend, I know the value of and have a personal vested interest in ensuring our schools have what they need. In times when inflation is out of control, it becomes more challenging to stretch the resources, but it’s something we all have to do in our lives every day. I’ll work to ensure our schools continue to receive reliable and sustainable increases in education funding to help meet their budgetary needs so they can focus on their work of educating our next generation of Iowa’s workforce.

When it comes to the school choice concept, I’m a believer that parents should have the ultimate say in their child’s education. What form that ultimately looks like in terms of a funding policy, I’d like to see the nuance of a bill before I weigh in on it, and I expect that there will be various bills that address this concept next year. I also want to keep hearing from the folks in my district on this topic before I make a final decision on such an important issue. For those who have been following my campaign, you have seen me engaging in discussions with nearly every district Superintendent and School Board in our district already, and I plan to continue to make that my top priority.

5. Where do you stand on access to abortion in Iowa?

I make no apologies for the fact that I’m pro-life, however, that term can mean a lot of things since the Dobbs decision, and this issue has a lot of nuance to it. I support the law passed a couple years ago by the legislature that set the threshold of no abortions past the detection of a fetal heartbeat, with reasonable exceptions in place. I’d like to see the final outcome of the Governor’s recent appeal of the court’s decision on that law before considering any new policies.

6. Do you believe the Iowa legislature is doing enough to address/prepare for the changing climate – particularly as the issue relates to farmers? Why or why not?

I think Iowa has one of the most well-thought-out and robust water quality programs in the nation. It encourages and rewards farmers to invest in practices that reduce the secondary impact of agriculture, many of which I presently implement in our own farming operation. Iowa has shown you can work with an industry and farmers to find ways to make positive impacts that are a win for everyone.

7. If elected, what legislation will you support to ensure rural counties in Iowa like Tama County are places young families want to live and are able to live in the future?

A big reason we hear folks are moving away from rural Iowa are jobs, housing, and child care. I want to make sure that when we fund programs and tax credits aimed at creating jobs, that rural Iowa receives the attention it deserves for these programs. The vast majority of this state is rural, and we need to prioritize skyscrapers in Des Moines less, and businesses on main street more.

I also believe that when it comes to housing, if you build it, they will come. We need to incentivize developers to build or restore homes in Iowa’s smaller towns. If given the right incentive, I think you’ll see developers want to build in places like Traer, Dysart, Hudson, or La Porte rather than another development in a suburb of a major metro area.